Friday, November 20, 2015

Google: You Can Now Restore Deleted Calendar Events


    See your deleted events (computer only)
    1. On your computer, open Google Calendar.
    2. On the left side of the page, find the My calendars list.
    3. To the right of your calendar's name, click the dropdown menu > Trash. ...
    4. Check the box to the left of any events you want to move.
    5. Click Delete forever or Restore selected events.

    Delete an event - Calendar Help - the Google Help Center

    https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/37113?hl=en
    Google

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Video: How to Create and Use Templates in Google Docs

I'm really big on time saving and efficiency. Templates are a way to accomplish tasks in a way that's quick and easy. Templates are also useful to share with your assistants or collaborators so everyone is on the same page. This video also covers information on how to locate pre-made templates. 
 How to Create and Save a Template in Google Docs | The Gooru. (2015, September 18). Retrieved September 22, 2015. 

Google says: 
About submitting templates:
When you submit a template to the public gallery, anyone will be able to use it by creating a copy of their own.
By submitting a template, you agree to let anyone use the content and styles that you created. Please make sure that you own the rights to distribute the content in your template.

After a template is submitted, any changes you make to it will show in the template gallery immediately. Please make changes with care!

Google Template Gallery: https://drive.google.com/templates

Need Privacy?
To get around the privacy issue, create your own template by following the video above and call it blank_template (where <blank> is the name you give your template). Don't upload it to the templates gallery. Create a templates folder and share the entire folder or individual templates with those folks you want to use them. 

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

SMART Board for Innovative Teaching & Learning - Workshop PowerPoint

In our Teaching Matters Series this fall, we held a SMART Board workshop for faculty. Here is the PowerPoint presentation


SMART Board Workshop for Innovative Teaching & Learning



by Baybars Karacaovali, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Hawaii at Manoa
 

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Blogging in the Classroom: YES, you can!



From On Blast Blog - Here's an awesome "Get Started Guide" to walk you through the benefits and steps to introduce blogging as a new tool in the classroom. Blogging is an innovative way to engage students while they learn, fits nicely with collaboration, and allows your students to participate in a hands-on learning experience they can take with them.

Check out their post to get started here: 
http://www.onblastblog.com/blogging-in-the-classroom/


Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Google Hangouts: Where are you?

Never again will we need to search around Google+ or elsewhere to find Google Hangouts! 

Jordanna Chord, a software engineer at Google, posted the following message to Google+:
We are launching another way to use Hangouts today.  From our new site you’ll be able to take advantage of the best of Hangouts in the browser, along with an inspiring image to get you through the day. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Google Drive: Set Automatic Expiration Dates for Shared Files & Folders

This script is awesome for teachers or anyone who doesn't want to share files or folders forever. This will work for both publicly or privately shared items. 

Here's the guide from Digital Inspiration:

The script will run at the specific time and remove all the sharing permissions from your file or folder making them private and the shared links would no longer work. Here’s how you can use the script.

  1. Click here to make a copy of the Google Script into your Google Drive.
  2. Add the URL (link) of your shared Google Drive folder or any file hosted on Google Drive in Line #3 and put expiration date in Line #7 (remember to use the YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM format).
  3. Open the File menu, choose Project Properties and select your Timezone from the dropdown. The date and time that you set in the script will use this timezone.
  4. Go to the Run menu, choose Start and authorize the auto-expiry script to run at the specified time. This is open-source Google Script and none of your data is shared with anyone.
That’s it. You can close the Google Script editor window and it will automatically disable the sharing options for the specified file or Drive folder at the specified date and time. You can even specify sub-folders that are anywhere in the Drive Tree.

http://www.labnol.org/internet/auto-expire-google-drive-links/27509/

Friday, August 7, 2015

Google Slides Supports Chromecast & Airplay

Plus, it was announced today, you can share your slideshow over a Hangouts video call!

With an Android phone or tablet, tapping the play button along the top bar of the app will let you present to a new video call or one that’s already ongoing.

http://9to5google.com/2015/08/05/google-slides-presentations-can-now-be-shared-over-hangouts-video-call/ 



"Show up, don’t set up—Google Slides supports Chromecast and AirPlay"


http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2015/06/show-up-dont-set-upgoogle-slides.html

Friday, July 31, 2015

Three Great Icebreakers for College Courses

Syllabus Quiz
Create a quiz on your syllabus (ex. “The first assignment is due on _____” or “The final exam counts as ___% of my final grade”). Have students work in pairs or small groups to answer the questions. You can then review the questions as a large group or just ask students if they have questions about the syllabus. (Harrington Instructor’s Manual, 5)

Plagiarism and Cheating
Students need help understanding these concepts. Have students pair up and come up with their own definition of these terms and then have them identify examples of each. The examples can be shared and discussed with the entire class. Students can compare their definitions to those described in the book. (Harrington Instructor’s Manual, 9)

Class Summaries
At several points throughout the class (every 15-30 minutes), stop and ask students to write a brief summary of what they learned so far. Do not allow them to use any course materials—it is a retrieval exercise. They can then share this with a partner. Give students an opportunity to ask questions about concepts that are not clear. Discuss how students can build in these mini-reviews into their routine as they read and study at home. (Harrington Instructor’s Manual, 28-29)


Reference: Harrington, Christine. 2016. Instructor’s Manual for Student Success in College: Doing What Works!, 2nd ed. Boston: Cengage Learning. © 2016 Cengage Learning.

Save Your Files Directly from Microsoft Office to Google Drive

 
Google steps up to make life easier for you! This add-on places an icon in your MS Office workspace so you can save a document in Microsoft Office directly to Google Drive.
 
 
 

Friday, July 24, 2015

Insert Citations in Google Docs - Easy!

Not only can you insert citations easily while in Google Docs, you can research from an open document once you open the sidebar. Wow! 

This is also a good way to locate images by filters to avoid copyright issues. If you insert an image into your document, it will cite the image for you.

Step 1:
Create or open a Google Doc

Step 2:
Click on Tools, Research (the sidebar will open)

Step 3:
Click in the search bar to view the different types of searches available
  • You can use Google Scholar to search for an article or study
Step 4:
Click on the tiny down-arrow in the middle of the side-bar search window where you may choose:
  • Filter image results by usage rights
  • Select your citation format 
Once you find the article you want, either Cite as footnote or Insert

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Dear Google: No Downloading, Copying or Printing My Files!

Dear Google,
I like to collaborate with Google Docs and Drive, but there are certain files I don't want people to download, copy or print! 
Aloha,
suzy :) 

--- 

Suzy,
You're in luck! There's a way to do that!

-Google 

 
"Prevent People From Downloading, Copying or Printing Your Drive Files | The Gooru." The Gooru. 16 July 2015. Web. 23 July 2015.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Adobe Photoshop & Dreamweaver Online Workshops for Educators

I don't know about you, but I can use all the help I can get when it comes to creating fresh and exciting web pages and graphics. I love workshops that are free and available for me to view at my convenience. During the month of March, 2015, Adobe is offering workshops to assist educators with two of my favorite programs, Photoshop and Dreamweaver. 

Photoshop:

This image-editing tool is a must for graphic design if you want to capture the attention of anyone viewing your web pages. Adobe is offering an online on-demand workshop for educators to get you started! Yes, it's for beginners. Signing up is easy!

Here's what they'll be introducing you to:
  • Reviewing the main features and functions of Adobe Photoshop.
  • Following simple steps to transform a photo into a silhouette with text.
  • Exploring sample classroom projects created in Photoshop.
  • Connecting with a community of Photoshop users to share tips and best practices.

Dreamweaver:
Here's where it gets fun! Dreamweaver is the leading design solution to design and build web projects - web pages and sites. This workshop doesn't require any past experience with the product or coding. 

Here's what they'll cover in the workshop:
  • Explore how teachers and students use web pages to organize and share information related to learning.
  • Learn and practice the basic functions of Dreamweaver.
  • Create your first single-page website by creating and modifying HTML and CSS code using both Code and Design Views.